//------------------------------// // Chapter 88: Transmogrification // Story: The Reader // by GnollReader //------------------------------// Purple Haze approached the library. After her sitting with Trixie, she had gotten an insight into the gnoll's past that had changed many things she had failed to fully understand in the past. Above all things else, it had confirmed a suspicion she had harbored for quite some time now; gnolls were direct. If she wanted to find an answer to the question she had been carrying with herself for so long now, she'd have to ask him directly. She gulped, that wouldn't make it easier though. She closed her eyes and calmed herself before opening the door and stepping into the library. But it wasn't Scar she found down in the main room of the tree. "Oh... hi, Spike." he passed her a slightly angry glare, "Is Scar here?" "Yeah, he went upstairs after sending the manticore back to the forest, thank you very much." he glared at her. "A shame too, that. I was so close of getting the furball to do a trick!" Tag piped up from his position. "Any longer and it would have used you as a scratching post..." Spike mumbled as he continued to clean the floor, "How much hair can one manticore lose? This is ridiculous!" Purple Haze cringed, "Sorry, we kind of forgot about that... did he say anything?" Spike scratched his chin, "I think he mentioned meeting Big McIntosh on his way, but he went straight to the bathroom before I could ask about it... He's been up there pretty long now that I think of it." She looked up the stairs, "Alright, I'll go look what he's up to..." Purple Haze walked up the stairs and towards the closed bathroom door. When she knocked on it, there was no answer. "Scar? Are you in there?" "Scar is..." his voice sounded strangely different. "Look Scar, I... I asked Trixie to show me what she saw and..." "Purple Haze did?" his voice sounded surprised. "I'm sorry, I know it wasn't the right thing to do but I needed to understand why you would simply let them go." There was a moment of silence, "And did Purple Haze understand?" She hung her head, "I did... I understand now, and I'm sorry I shouted at you... you were right, and I wasn't. I'm sorry." "If Purple Haze understands then gnoll is happy... would've taken longer for it to explain anyway." he chuckled. There was the sound of something being thrown over, "Silly hooves... can't grab anything..." she heard him mumble. "Scar?" she put her ears to the door, "What are you doing in there? Can you open the door so we can talk face to face? There's something else I want to discuss with you..." she heard the unmistakable sound of hoofs on tiles, "Is there somepony in there with you?" Purple Haze heard someone try to turn the key of the bathroom door, all the while muttering curses under his breath. Then, when the door finally did open, Purple Haze's jaw nearly hit the floor. Standing in the door frame was a huge black stallion wearing an oversized coat she recognized as Scar's. Numerous scars ran over one side of his face and over a blind eye, while a blood-red one could be seen through the shaggy and long hairs of his coat. "What the..." Purple Haze managed to mutter. "Scar is pony!" he laughed as he pranced before her, "Look, has hooves, little teeth..." he beamed her a big smile, "It can even neigh!" he pulled back his head and let out a long whinny, almost loosing his footing, "Still isn't so good with hooves though, can't grab anything..." he muttered. "How in the world did you..." she started but lost her words as she observed him up and down. He went back into the bathroom and came back with a small bottle in between his teeth, "Is transmophificatianagic..." he tried to speak. She took the bottle from his mouth and read the label on it like in trance, "Transmogrification potion... just add hairs from target species for immediate effect..." she looked back at Scar, "Big McIntosh..." she whispered in realization before returning her attention to the label, "Drink whole bottle for effect, average duration of effect is one day, but may vary. See your local alchemist for side effects." Purple Haze stared at the bottle for another moment, "I don't believe this." Scar meanwhile, was back in front of the bathroom mirror and mustering his new form. "What should it do first?" he talked to no one in particular as he made funny faces, "What do ponies do?" he thought for a moment, "It could run... then jump over fence... eat some hay..." he scratched his chin, "It could walk around without ponies being scared all the time... maybe Scar could go visit someone..." he turned to Purple Haze, "What does Purple Haze think?" Purple Haze simply stared at him with an open mouth and big eyes. But then, something appeared in her eyes he hadn't seen before... it reminded him of the predatory look Celestia had given him when he had appeared with his costume. "Purple Haze is alright?" he tilted his head, "Should Scar..." he was interrupted as Purple Haze walked up to him and grabbed his head. "To my room. Now." "Huh?" he managed to blurt out as she simply dragged him along. He didn't get an answer, but once they reached her room he started to get slightly concerned when she locked the door, "What is Purple Haze doing?" For a moment she looked unsure of herself, but then she approached him with determined steps, "First, I'm going to tell you something I've been wanting to tell you for some time now." Scar raised an eyebrow. A small smile appeared on her face, "And then, I'm going to do something with you I've been wanting to do for quite some time as well." he swallowed, hard. --- "Spike, I'm back!" Twilight entered the library, "Have you seen Scar or Purple Haze? They both left rather suddenly..." Spike came out of the kitchen, "They're both upstairs... I think they're having a fight." he replied with concern in his voice. "Oh, are they still arguing about that?" she sighed, "That's so sad." "I don't know what they're arguing about, but they've been in Purple Haze's room for an hour now making a racket!" he shook his head, "I think I even heard them throw over furniture... and you know what's scary? I think Purple Haze is winning." As if on cue, a shuddering groan could be heard coming from upstairs, "See? She's killing him!" Twilight looked up the stairs in wonder, whatever was going on up there? "Wait here, Spike. I'll see if I can calm them down..." Twilight walked upstairs and towards Purple Haze's room, but was stopped from knocking when a moan that sounded very different from anyone fighting could be heard. She eyed the door in wonder, had that been Purple Haze? Curious to find out what was going on, she put one of her eyes to the keyhole... and recoiled several feet in surprise at what she had just seen. --- Spike watched her come down the stairs with the reddest face he had ever seen, her eyes as big as saucers. "So? Did you get them to stop fighting?" another groan could be heard, "They're still at it? Poor Scar... Maybe I should try and talk with them..." "No!" Twilight almost shouted but quickly lowered her voice, "Uhmmm... How about we go eat out today?" "Really?" Spike asked in surprise, "Awesome! Should I get Scar and Purple Haze?" Twilight blushed even more, "Nope, I think they're not in the mood for food. Come on, let's go." she tried to get him going with a hushed voice. "Shouldn't I get my scarf from upstairs? It's getting pretty cool in the evening lately..." "Nope, gotta go..." another groan came from upstairs, "Now!" before Spike could protest, she picked him up and left the library in a hurry, locking the front door for good measure. Only the maul remained in the main room downstairs, standing in solitude as more noises came from above. "If there's one thing I know, it's what a pounding sounds like... and that's one for sure." he chuckled happily, "You go, master!"